A Season For Everything

‘For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under the sun.’ – Proverb.

A certain man sent his four sons on a quest to teach them about the impact of different seasons of life. He sent each son to look at a pear tree a distance from his house. The first son went in winter, the second in spring, the third in summer and the youngest in fall. They all brought different reports on the appearance of the tree and argued about who had given the correct description. The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they had each seen but only one season in the tree’s life. He told them not judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who a person really is can only be measured when they have encountered all the different seasons of life.

When we reflect on life, we realize it comprises seasons- set periods in time where different events take place. We have the seasons that bring us good things such as the birth of a sibling or your first child, graduation, promotion, romance and so on. Not all seasons we encounter bring us the good we prefer, however. Sometimes, hard seasons come and they leave us powerless and uncertain about our tomorrow. We have little control over some events in our lives, but we have the power to determine the impact of each season we encounter. 

Whether a tough season will be a stepping stone or a stumbling block is entirely up to us. We have the power to turn seasons in our favor. No wonder why some people see opportunity in the midst of chaos whilst everyone else sees disaster. It is such people whose names are not forgotten for generations to come. If you want to live a meaningful life and leave your mark on this world, you must be able to understand the reason for each season of your life and then dominate every one of them.

How to handle different seasons in life.

We have all gone through periods of dormancy in our lives. Times when it seems nothing of significance is going on, no matter how hard we try. We put in a lot of effort in our businesses, investing time in our careers and in our relationships, but nothing seems to yield from those efforts. Instead of seeing returns on our investments, we seem stuck in a rut, with no sign of the rewards we expect to get for the effort we make. While we desire progress, there will be times where nothing seems to grow or change in our lives. 

Do not be weary in well-doing, for in due season you will reap if you do not give up.                 

Such moments are not for us to despair and give up. It is in those seasons that we can take time to work on ourselves and develop resilience and strong, unshakable characters. Instead of focusing on how uneventful life seems, zoom in on the areas you have been neglecting that call for improvement. Take advantage of such times to go back to the drawing board. 

The season of dormancy is exactly like winter, where plant roots store food and nutrients. The entire plant appears dead on the outside with no leaves or fruits. The inside portrays a contrary picture of the miracle of life waiting to happen. During your season of growth, you may see stagnancy and no progress on the outside. Do not allow such times to discourage you. Concentrate on investment on the inside so that you grow to a point where you break forth.

“The results you achieve will be in direct proportion to the effort you apply.” Denis Waitley.

Spring is a natural season that marks the end of the dormancy of winter. New life breaks out. Color pops up. It is a period were growth and new opportunities are certain. Similarly, in our lives, there is a time when we need to turn a new page and explore new avenues. It is during this phase that we birth new dreams. As scary as it is to launch into the unknown, there is no telling the impact such a season can have on your life. It is important to remember that everything is very fragile in this season. Do not rush the process. Be patient. Nurture every new project you begin with care. You are guaranteed of fruit when the right season arrives. Before then, stay on course. 

“Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground.” Theodore Roosevelt.                          

There are seasons when our hard work pays off. We see the fruit of our labor. Each investment yields returns. Our relationships are flourishing and our businesses are booming. Such seasons are rewards for the patience and resilience we build during desert moments in our lives. All you need to do is kick back and enjoy the season. You deserve it after all the hard work you put in.

Do not cease to aim for more. Put in more work that will culminate in continuous success for coming seasons. For if you spend too much time on past successes, you build complacency and stop encouraging yourself to go for the next challenge.

All the seasons we go through sum up our lifetime. We often hate to talk of the bad times, but they too are a part of the rich experience that is life. You must prepare yourself for every season of your life, even the good ones. There is no telling when the different seasons will come, but the truth is they always come. Equip yourself to handle them when they do.

“Time makes up the fabric of our lives. Our attitude towards it, whether we value it or squander it (or we are at any point between the two) can, like any other attitude, be changed.” Avi Shulman.